Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-06-04

mon on the Mount we learn "BIess-
ed are the merciful for they shall
obtain mercy; Blessed are the peace
makers for they shall be called the
children of God Blessed are the pure
in heart for they shall see God"
Again we are told if you will forgive
men who trespass against you God will
forgive you your ~trespasses. This
has the appearance of an express
covenant and contract ifyou forgive
others God will forgive you, and it
must be true, since God will hardly
damn a forgiving soul:
We are further taught that the
Master will reward every man ac-
cording-not to his belief-but accord
ing to his works. In the nineteenth
chapter of Matthew on a certain, very
memorable occasion, one came to
Him and desired to know explicitly
and unequivocally what he should do
to inherit eternal life, and received
for answer directly, that he should
keep the commandments. Not en-
tirely satisfied yet he desired to know
which commandments, and Jesus
answered: "Thou shalt do no MUIR
der thou shalt not commit adultery
thou shalt not bear false witness;
honor thy father and mother, and
love thy neighbor as myself" and He
never said a word about ''belief,"
even in Him as one of the Trinity, or
as the Son of the ever living God, or
about being baptized, although there
never was a better or more appropri-
ate occasion for enforcing such a con-
dition for salvation. fit were essen
tial it seems it would have been ruin
Gus to omit mention of it then.
Also in the account given by Mat
thew concerning the last judgement
the inheritance of the Kingdom is
expressly promised to those only who
mipistered unto him when he was an
hungered, and athirst and in prison,
and not a word is said about the
capable and robust believers, or about
members of the church, or even about
those who had held fast the comfort
able doctrine of election, reprobation,
and the eternal damnation of doubt
ers. And finally as if to summarize
the whole matter we are assured,
without qualification, that "this is
pure religion and undefled," that you
"deal justly, love mercy and walk
humbly with thy Cod" emitting any
reference to the "great sin of unbe-
lief" Some of us believe that the
doctrine of elimination for unbelief''
is unphilOSophical, irrational and alb
surd, because belief depends largely
on testimony, is in a great measure
involuntary, and connot in conse.
quence possess any moral quality al
all.
In no inconsiderable measure also
"belief" is influenced by congenital
or acquired predisposition. Some
men are constitutionally credulous,
while others are on the contrary
skeptical, and there is every grade
between them, while no two men are
equally impressed by the same testi.
mOny, if it falls short of a demonstra.
ton ; nevertheless no one ever thinks
of melting praise to the one and
damnation to the other according tC
their capacity or incapacity for exer.
cising faith.
The learned doctor animadverted
at considerable length, and with
something that might have beer
meant for severity, on the relations
sustained by scientific men to matters
of faith, or belief, and succeeded, I'm.
Intentionally Of course, as the clergy
commonly do, in disappearing the
scientists completely. 1t is not true
that such men as Huxley and Dan
win are accustomed to parade theil
skepticism, and at the same time art
constantly taking everything TO,
granted, and on trust and hearsay
They do neither the one thing nor thu
other; while they would not REFUSE
their credence to ample and satisfac
tory testimony, at the same time they
would not surrender facts to authOri
ty, even to the authority of a grea
name. True enough they repudiat,
the doctrine of elimination for unbe
lief" as well as the doctrine of "iusti
f%icatiOn by faith only" and they d,
embrace heartily the doctrine of ''sal
walton by Veriication."